Nothing is as it Seems
by wolfshifter2001
Summary: A Kindred/Buffy Crossover Xander have some changes in his life. To end confusion I want to let people know that some how a chp.2 ended up on my story. I don't know how and I can't fix it. It is not part of my story. I am working on a sequel.
1. Default Chapter

Author: Amanda Wolfshifter2001  
Spoilors: None  
Disclaimers: I do not own the charactors from Buffy the Vampire Slayer nor from Kindred the Embraced.  
Warning: PG:13  
Email: HoneyJ7106@aol.com  
  
Nothing Is As It Seems  
  
For Alexander Harris this was a day of both hell and relief. Today was the day Melanie Harris's   
will was to be read to family and friends. Xander knew he would not miss his mother greatly. How could   
one miss another if they hardly knew them? Melanie Harris was not what Xander would call 'mother material'.  
No, Xander never really knew the woman called Melanie Harris. She was never around very much after   
Jeremiah Harris started to get violent. From what Xander could tell, she would seek the refuge of some bar   
that was out of town. She would then spend a couple of days gone and come back reeking of beer and sex.   
Xander didn't know how he should feel about her. He thought that he should be happy that his mother would  
not be in his way anymore but he couldn't. He guessed it was because of the way that she had died. No, not  
died but killed.  
  
He could still remember the night so vividly that it still made him sick to his stomach. Xander had just   
come home from a night out at the bronze with the Scooby gang when he saw the carnage. Blood was   
everywhere that his eyes laid upon. His mother laid in the middle of the living room floor. Next to her broken  
and bloody body laid his father. Seeing his father, Xander rapidly figured out what had happened. His father   
must have gone into another one of his drunken rampages and had taken it out on his mother. This time,   
though, his father had gone too far. After killing Melanie, he had decided to kill himself. Xander lifted himself   
up, realizing that he had fallen to his knees. As if he was on automatic control, Xander reached for the phone   
and called 911.  
  
It felt like hours before Xander was able to go to sleep. It seemed that the police and reporters would  
never give up asking him relentless questions of what had happened. Finally, he fell asleep only to be woken   
up by the phone ringing.  
  
"Hello?" Xander's voice was still laced with sleep.  
  
"OH MY GOD, XANDER. ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? WHENE WERE YOU GOING TO TELL  
ME?" Screamed the usually shy and quiet Willow.  
  
"Willow, can you please shut up for a minute. For your first question, yes I am all right and as for your  
second, I was too tired to talk to anyone." Xander's reply was calmer than it should have been.  
  
"Well, you sure wasn't too tired to talk to the reporters. It's all over the newspapers."  
  
"WHAT? Hey, listen Willow, I got to go. Talk to you later."  
  
Xander hurriedly hung the phone up and went to get the newspaper. In big print was:   
SUNNYDALE HOMICIDE AND SUICIDE  
'Around midnight bodies of both Jeremiah and Melanie Harris were discovered by their  
seventeen year old son, Alexander Harris. Harris reports that his father was a violent   
man and it did not surprise him one bit that things have ended the way they did.'   
  
'Wow! They sure did get things in the newspaper fast. I don't see why vampires are going so   
unnoticed like they are,' mused Xander. Over the next few days, Xander barely talked to his friends. The   
only person that Xander really talked to was his mother's lawyer, Mr. Jenkins. With Mr. Jenkins help Xander   
was able to get through the funeral and now it was just the wil reading that had Xander on his nerves.  
  
Xander plopped himself down on the hard chair. He looked over to his best friend, Willow, and   
smiled. Though it was a sad smile, it was still a smile. He looked around some more and found the rest of the  
group. They were all milling around the room before having to sit down. Xander had to smirk at that. They   
all looked uncomfortable to him. For some odd reason, unbeknowst to Xander, he glanced around one more   
time. Finally, he saw it. Well, not an it but a him. At least Xander was fairly certain that it was a man. The   
shadows covered him up pretty well. What Xander could tell was that this man was a stranger to Sunnydale   
and yet he stood there like he knew the place. Xander's inspection was interrupted by Mr. Jenkins clearing his  
throat.  
  
Xander threw him a not so amused look. Either the lawyer ignored the look or he did not see it   
because he went right on with what he was about to say.  
  
"Now Ladies and Gentlemen," Mr. Jenkins started, "I would like to start with the reading of Melanie  
Harris's will. First off I would like to make . . ." Xander zoned out on the reading as his attention soon went  
back to the mysterious stranger. It wasn't until he heard his name did he bring his attention back to the reading  
. "As for my beloved son, I am sorry for all the trouble that I have put you through. I know that life has been  
hard on you and what I am aboiut to say will be even harder. You see Jeremiah was never your father. I   
guess he new that and that was the reason he took things out on you. Your real father goes by the name of   
Frank Kohanek.  
**********************************************************************  
  
Two days before  
San Francisco:  
  
Detective Frank Kohanek walked in the police precinct taking no notice of those around him.   
His posture reeked of sadness with the slump shoulders and down cast eyes. He finally looked up only   
to catch the concern look from his partner. Frank gave a sign, knowing that he would soon be bombarded  
with questions that he did not wish to answer. He watched as Dectective Sonny rise up from his desk and  
head over his way.  
  
"Hey man! You look as if a good friend just died." Soony was just trying to ease up the load that to   
be seemed weighing his friend down. He did not know how true his words were.  
  
"A friend did die, Sonny." Frank solemnly replied. He was about to head toward the captain's office   
when a hand on his arm halted the process.  
  
"Now wait a minute. Don't go running off before you explained some things."  
  
Frank turned away from his friend before replying. "Listen I got some stuff to take care of with the   
captain and then we can talk."  
  
"All right then, how about we meet at the Haven and talk there."  
  
"Yea, yea whatever." With that Frank headed toward the captain's office.  
  
Later that night  
The Haven:  
  
The low lighted bar reflected the mood that Frank was in. It seem to set off the gloomy affects of his   
moods. Then there was the music and the black lights that surrounded those who were already there. To   
Frank, it was torture. Who in the world can find anyone in this place. Just when Frank was about to give up   
hope, he spotted Sonny sitting at a table near the far corner of the building. Finally getting to his friend and   
sitting down, Frank started up the conversation by answering the unspoken question he could see in his friend's   
eyes.  
  
"Her name was Melanie Cobalt. She was a childhood friend and girlfriend. We were so in love back  
then. We were even planning on getting married but something happened. She decided to break up. She   
didn't even give me a reason." Frank paused as the memories of his past started to flash before his eyes.   
"The next thing I knew she was headed for California and that was the last I had heard from her. That is until   
Yesterday. I got a phone call from a lawyer named Jenkins. He told me that she had died and that she had   
requested me to be present during the reading of her will."  
  
As soon as Frank stopped talking, Sonny went to asking questions. "So where is it that you are having  
to go to?"  
  
"A place called Sunnydale. It here in California."  
  
Frank looked up at the sound of choking. "What? Was it something that I said?"  
  
"No. It had nothing to do with what you said. I just started to think of something and then I remember  
ed that I had something important to talk to Julian about." Sonny rambled on.  
  
Frank stared in amazement at his friend. This was the first time that he as ever seen his friend stumble   
all over his words like he was now. He then got a knowing look on his face.  
  
"Kindred business?" Frank asked with a tint of anger in his voice.  
  
"Yes, I'm sorry Frank but I must go." Sonny's voice held no stutter as it did a second ago. No, it held  
a calmness that only one who knew how would do it in a situation like this.  
  
Both men got up to leave. One headed for the office upstairs and theother heading home to pack for   
Sunnydale.  
  
Later at Luna Mansion:  
  
Not being able to find the Prince anywhere at the Haven, Sonny had decided to call him. Upon finding  
out that he was at home, Sonny hurried there as fast as he could. Now he was waiting for the Prince to get   
out of a meeting. A couple of minutes had past before he heard the sound of a door creeping open.   
  
"What do I owe to the pleasure of your visit?" Julian Luna asked his childe while stepping into the   
library.  
  
"I had a talk with Frank today."  
  
"Oh really. How did that go?"  
  
"Not good. Sire, he is heading for Sunnydale for a few days." Sonny's calm voice held a slight tint of   
nervousness.  
  
"WHAT? That place is one of the most barbaric vampire like kindred invested place that I know of.   
It is bad enough that he is in danger here because he knows of us but to go there would be suicide." Julian   
could not believe his bad luck. Sure Frank always annoyed him and he seems to be in the way all the time but  
he did not want Frank to get killed. He let out a growl of frustration that caused Sonny to back away.   
Calming himself before he went into a frenzy, he turned to Sonny.  
  
"I am sorry for my outburst. You know what lies in Sunnydale or you would have never brought it up."  
  
"Yes, I have heard of the Hellmouth and the evil that resides there. What do you want me to do?"  
  
Julian smirked, "You know me all to well. I want you to follow Frank to Sunnydale. It is best that he   
not know about this. I know this will make it hard on you but you must not let him see you or he will start   
asking questions. If he knew about the kindred in Sunnydale then he would most likely past more judgment   
on us."  
  
"Yes, sir." Saying that, Sonny left to make plans for the trip.  
  
Present time:  
  
Xander just sat in his seat. He couldn't move. Especially not after what he had just heard. The man   
he knew as his father wasn't really his father. His whole body started to tremble in shock. Oh God! How   
could his mother do this to him? First she lets him go through hell with his father's abuse and now he finds out   
that he didn't really have to take any of that crap from the man. His anger startedto weld up in him. He leaped  
out to his seat and went up to the lawyer demanding to see the will.  
  
"This is not possible. Why would she make me suffer that long? Why didn't she tell me sooner?"   
Xander muttered to himself all the while reading the will. His hands started to shake.  
  
"Oh God! She writes that she requested that Frank Kohanek to be here. She said that she wants me  
to meet him and that he knew nothing about me." He took a deep breathe before looking around the room.   
All eyes were upon him. He could see the look of pity in most including those of his friends. He looked away   
from their stares, hating himself. Finally, finding the nerve within himself, Xander yelled over the slowly rising   
mummer.  
  
"Is Frank Kohanek in here?"  
  
From the back of the room, the stranger that Xander had saw earlier stepped out from the shadows.  
  
"I'm Frank and I guess I'm your father."  
*********************************************************************  
  
Xander looked over at the man who said that he was his father. The dark brown hair whad the same   
waves as Xander's did. They were both around the same height. Xander was just an inch shorter. The eyes   
are what got to Xander. Like his own, they held wisdom. Wisdom about the darkness and that things really   
do go bump in the night. Xander didn't know how but he knew that this man held many secrets.  
  
Xander cleared his throat before talking. "I think that maybe we should find somewhere private so that  
we can talk."  
  
Frank looked the boy over once before agreeing. "Yeah. That would be good. Do you have a place   
in mind?"  
  
"Hold on. I'm going to go and ask a favor from my friends." Xander left Frank standing there as he   
headed over to where Buffy and the others were standing.  
  
"Giles, do you think it would be o.k. if Frank and I used the library so that we can talk?"  
  
"Yes . . . yes, that would be fine. Do you need someone to be there for moral support?" Giles   
stuttered out in his usual manner.  
  
"Nah. I think I can handle this on my own." Xander stated with false bravery. He turned around and   
began to leave but was stopped by a strong grip on his arm.  
  
"Are you sure?" Buffy asked. The look in her eyes told Xander that she would be there to protect   
him if he ever needed it.   
  
Xander signed. He hoped to see love for him, everytime he looked into her eyes. But no. It wasn't   
love for him that he saw. At least not the kind of love that he wanted. It was the love a person has for ones   
brother or sister. Xander let out another sign.  
  
"I'm sure."  
  
"O.K."  
  
Xander left his friends and headed back to where Frank was standing. "O.K. I have a place for us to   
go. Do you have a car to take. Cause if you do, we can both go in it. Mine is in for repairs."  
  
At the library:  
  
"Are you sure it is ok for us to be in a school library? Especially when the school is closed?"  
  
"Of course, I'm sure. My friends and I are always coming here to hang out when we are in the need of  
being alone." Xander looked up to see Frank giving him a strange look. "What?"  
  
"Nothing. Its just kinda strange to hear that teenagers go to the library under their own will power."  
  
"Strange things do happen here." Xander said with a tight smile on his face. "So what is it that you   
want to know?"  
  
"I guess we can start with how your life has been."  
  
"Its been a living hell." Xander almost laughed at that. Oh how true his words were. "My dad was   
an abusive basterd. I don't even remember when it all started. My mom really didn't care. She would be   
gone for days. When she did decide to come back home, she was always covered with the smell of alcohol.   
One whiff of it and you woulfd get drunk yourself. Heck you could basically smell her coming from miles   
ahead. I even think that at times she would get high but I don't know." Xander started to pace the floor.  
  
Frank waited until Xander cooled down before he asked another question. "How did she die?"  
  
"You mean no one has told you?" Xander saw Frank nod his head no. "Figures. Dad murdered her. Then he had enough galls to blow his own head off."  
  
When you feel alone  
and the world has turned its back on you  
Give me a moment please to tame your wild wild heart  
I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you  
It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold  
When darkness is upon your door and you feel like you can't take anymore  
  
Frank noticed Xander's body start to tremble. He got up from where he was sitting and got next to  
Xander. He kneeled down and embraced the boy in a hug. For the first time since it all started, Xander   
began to cry.  
  
Let me be the one you call   
If you jump I'll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night  
If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart  
If you need to crash then crash and burn  
You're not alone.  
  
"Shh. It's ok. I got you." Frank did his best to soothe the teenager in his arms.  
  
Xander whispered in a calm and eerie voice. "I was the one to find them that way. Even after he is   
dead, the basterd knows how to hurt me. I mean, he didn't even let me have the chance to avenge my   
mother's death."  
  
"Come on. Just let it all out." Frank said knowing that Xander was still holding back the tears. A   
couple of seconds later, Xander was crying his heart out.  
  
When you feel all alone  
and a loyal friend is hard to find  
You're caught in a one way street  
With the monsters in your head  
You feel like you can't face the day.  
  
"It's alright. I'm here. Nobody is going to hurt you."  
  
Let me be the one you call  
If you jump I'll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night  
If you need to fall apart   
I can mend a broken heart  
If you need to crash then crash and burn  
You're not alone.  
  
"I want you to come back with me to San Francisco."  
  
"What?" Xander looked over at Frank with surprise and doubt written all over his face.  
  
"I know it is hard to believe since we just met but I think that you would be better off there. You   
would have to adjust, though. I just think it would do you a lot of good. You need to get away from here   
for a little while." Frank rambled on finally coming to a stop.  
  
Because there has always been heartache and pain  
and when it's over you'll breathe again  
You'll breathe again.  
  
Xander just looked at Frank's face thinking about what he had just said. He could tell that the man   
was sencere with what he said.  
  
When you feel all alon   
And the world has turned its back on you  
Give me a moment please  
To tame your wild wild heart.  
  
"I guess but just for a short time. I don't like leaving my friends all alone here." Xander relented.  
"Good."  
  
Let me be the one you call   
If you jump I'll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night  
If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart  
If you need to crash then crash and burn  
You're not alone.  
*********************************************************************  
  
The sun shone into the small room that Xander was residing in. The teen in question was having the   
first peaceful sleep, in what seemed like ages. The bed covers were pushed down to his legs letting his scarred  
back be shown to the world. His arms reached for the pillow next to his head. The reached their target. The  
pillow swiftly went over his head covering his eyes from the bright sun.  
  
"Alexander, time to wake up." Frank said coming into the room. Frank closed his mouth as he got a   
good look at his new found son. He was still surprised at that word. He never thought of himself as a father   
and now here he was with a teenage son. His heart grew in both pride and anger. The pride he felt for his son  
. Theboy went through hell and back. It still amazed him with what Xander had told him the other day. His   
own son fought demons and vampires along with his father every night for the past year or two. Frank knew   
that Xander was beginning to trust him but he just wish the boy would tell him everything. That was where his   
anger came from. How could anyone beat on another living being? Especially the one they are suppose to call  
son. he did not know but he would protect his son from any evil that this world had to conjure up.  
  
"Come on, Alexander, you need to wake up."  
  
"It's too early for anyone to be awake." Xander groggily replied from under the pillow.  
  
"You must've had another nightmare." Frank stated. For the past days, ever since the funeral, Xander  
had been having nightmares.  
  
"Why do you say that?" Xander asked defensively.  
  
"Hey don't get mad at me. I just said that cause it's not morning but noon. You need to get up."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Frank smirked before he answered. "Well, for one thing I said so and for another thing we are going   
out to dinner. There is someone that wants to meet you."  
  
"A lady friend?" Xander asked with a sly smile.  
  
"No. His name is Julian Luna. His is just an associate." Frank didn't want to go into it anymore. He  
hated the fact that, when he told Luna that Xander knew about the kindred, Luna had made the demand to   
see the boy at once. Now he had to make sure that nothing will happen to his son as he went into the lion's   
den.  
  
"Julian? Do I know him?" Xander asked. The confusion in his voice was evident. 'Why would Frank  
repeat what I had told him, in confidence, to some guy that I don't even know.'  
  
Frank watched as the look of confusion and anger slowly take over his son's face. He could rightly   
understand those feelings. He felt the same way when his wife died and then when he lost Alexandra. He   
hated the Kindred, especially Julian, for taking the one person after Lora's death that had filled his heart with   
love. Now, here he was turning his own flesh and blood over to a killer.  
  
Frank took a deep breathe before trying to make his son understand something that he did not equally   
understand himself. "Listen, kid, I know you think I did wrong by telling someone the secret that you had told   
me in secrecy. It's not something that I had wanted to do. Julian had someone follow me but I have yet to find  
out who. It seems, though, that this spy overheard us talking. Well, Julian found out about what was said and  
had me verify it. He, then suggested on meeting you." Frnak stopped talking and looked over at his son. The  
expression on the boy's face was hard to make out.  
  
Xander didn't know what to think or even say. His emotions bombarded him in every which way. He  
wanted to be angry with his father and lash out at him for betraying what little trust that Xander had given him.   
He was also scared. He didn't know a thing about Julian, the man that wanted to meet him. What also scared  
him was the fact that Julian Luna knew a whole lot about him. 'I guess I could see if Giles or Willow could do  
some research for me.' Xander looked up at his father and continued on with his thoughts. 'I'm not going to   
be able to get out of this meeting, though. The way Frank is looking at me, it makes me wonder if he actually   
tried to find me a way out of going. Oh well, I guess I will have to wait until I get home to call Giles.' Xander  
let his thoughts drift as he started to get ready.  
  
An hour later  
  
"Ok. I can see why we are meeting this guy." Frank smirked at Xander's words. Ok! I sorta   
understand. Geeze, give a guy a break. Anyway, what I'm really confused about is why are we here and why  
are we dressed like this?" Xander said pulling on the black tie that he was wearing.  
  
Both men were dressed in nice black suits. Xander felt like he was going to a funeral. 'Yea, my   
funeral.' Xander thought with a slight grunt.  
  
"You know why, Xander," Frank said letting out a tired sign. Over the past half hour, Xander had   
been whining about getting dressed up just to go out to eat. Frank was slowly losing his patience. "The   
O'Tagon's is a black tie and suit restaurant which means that you have to wear a tie and suit."  
  
Xander opened his mouth and then closed it as quick as he had opened it. From the look on Frank's  
face, Xander knew that he was pushing things a little bit too far. "Ok. I'm sorry. I guess I'm just a little   
nervous." Xander said while putting a sulking look on his face.  
  
"Ma'am, I'm here to meet with Julian Luna. Can you direct us to his table?" Frank asked the hostess   
while, in the process, he ignored the look his son was giving him.  
  
The hostess looked through the guest book until she found the name she was looking for. "Ah. Here   
it is. Mr. Luna is already here. Follow me and I will show you to your seats." She lead them to a far off   
corner where the shadow covered the table and the man sitting at it.  
  
"Here you are, sir." With that she turned and left the three men to themselves.  
  
"Ah. Mr. Harris, I presume?" Julian asked breaking the silence. He waited until Xander nodded   
before continuing. "I have heard from Frank that you are familiar with the supernatural."  
  
Xander knew what Mr. Luna was doing. Julian wanted Xander to say what he knows without him   
having to tell what he knows. Xander relaxed from the tense state he was in and decided to just play into the   
man's game. "Well, I know of your variety vampires, demons, werewolves, and witches. I met plenty of   
demons and killed tons of vampires." Xander knew he was exaggerating there but what the man didn't know  
couldn't hurt him.  
  
Xander lendback in his chair with his arms folded into a relaxed position. He was feeling pround of   
himself until he saw the look in Julian Luna's eyes. He couldn't help but flinch at what he saw. "What? What   
did I say wrong?" He asked with a twinge of nervousness in his voice.  
  
"Mr. Harris, we seem to be in a situation here. You see today I had a meeting with my associates   
about this problem. After much disagreement, we finally came to a conclusion on what to do. I know of your  
past time with the slayer and I am afraid that you cannot hunt here. Before things go any further, I must tell   
yo of my kind." Julian spoke with an eerie calmness.  
  
"Your kind?" Xander interrupted.  
  
"I don't lke where this is going." Frank muttered to himself when both Julian and Xander had stopped  
talking. Seeing the look that Julian was giving Xander, he decided to say something. "Xander just let the man  
finish talking so that we can leave."  
  
Julian gave Frank a silent 'thank you' before he continued talking. "My kind, young man, are called   
Kindred."  
  
"So you're some kind of demon?" Xander said, once again interrupting Julian's speech.  
  
"XANDER"  
  
'Oh boy! Now I'm in for it.' Xander thought as he slumped down into his seat. He was not use to   
seeing Frank this angry. Seeing him like this only reminded him of his other father. "Sorry." He whispered   
out wanting to calm Frank down.  
  
Frank took in a deep breath. He hated the look that was on Xander's face. 'Damn the basterd that   
did this. Too bad the man is already dead or I would have killed him myself.' "No Xander, I'm the one who   
should be sorry. I should not have yelled but you are going to have to wait until Julian is done before you start   
with the questions." Xander promised Frank that he would wait.  
  
Since the two were done talking, Julian decided to start speaking once again. "Kindred, in your terms,  
means vampires." At the panic look on Xander's face, Julian tried to calm him down. "We are very different  
from the vampires that you know." Julian went on to explain about the Kindred. He let Xander ask some   
questions before going over what will happen to Xander while he is here. "You will be under Kindred rule.   
If you go against us, you will be punished."  
  
Later  
  
Xander signed happily as they home. "I think I'm going to head to bed." He yawned and headed to  
his room. He laid on his bed waiting until Frank went to bed. When he finally heard his father go to bed, he   
let a few minutes go by before getting up and searching for the phone. Finding it, he dialed on of the numbers   
that he knew by heart.  
  
"Hullo?" answered a sleepy, British voice.  
  
"Hey G-man!" Xander said with a little bit more enthusiasm than he intended to have.  
  
"Xander, is that you?" Giles asked more awake no than a few minutes ago.  
  
"Yea and do I have something to tell you."  
  
The End  
  
Note: Crash and Burn by Savage Garden. Do you think there should be a sequel? Please tell me what you  
think of the story.  
  
  
  
  



	2. Default Chapter

2/17/01  
  
Household Chores  
By: Lelu  
LeluH40@aol.com  
PG  
  
[Insert Standard Disclaimer]  
  
  
Sighing, she folded the sleeves on the shirt over the   
other and neatly creased the edges. Putting the shirt   
on a spot of the bed that was not already occupied by   
the other shirts, she grabbed the next shirt and   
proceeded to fold it…but messed up and threw it to   
the side. Wearily, she pushed a strand of golden hair   
out of her face, glancing uneasily at the next   
basketful of clothing that still needed to be folded.   
  
"Why can't men fold their own damn clothes?!" she   
exclaimed at the air, blue eyes rolling in frustration.   
  
It had been a month since she and Mamoru had   
wed…and although there were *many* *many*   
benefits, she thought, of marriage…there also came   
many responsibilities.   
  
'Like washing the dishes…folding clothes…cleaning   
the house from top to bottom…cooking…making   
sure everything is in order…washing the   
dishes…washing the dishes…'  
  
"Damn!" the expletive burst from her pink mouth, a   
word that one would never expect to hear from this   
angel…this angel that could be quite demonic if she   
wished to be. "I still have to wash the dishes…" She   
glanced at the pile of clothes that lay on the floor and   
then at the clothes that were still in the basket,   
begging to be folded.  
  
Now, she reasoned, folding the clothes wasn't so bad   
of a task…She had done that chore since she had   
been 6 years old, and now that she was 21, she was,   
practically, an expert of the folding-of-the-clothes   
process. She could have been finished folding those   
two piles of clothes in about 10 minutes, less, if she   
really wanted to hurry.  
  
But Mamoru…he had his 'own way' of folding the   
clothes…a completely opposite way of folding that   
she had been practicing for the past 15 years. And if   
the clothes weren't folded in *his* own specific way,   
she would have to listen and watch another one of his   
lectures of how the art of clothes-folding was done.  
  
And she did *not* need to listen to it for the…what   
was it? She glanced at the tablet of paper on the   
desk…for the 48th time.   
  
She took one last glance at the clothes and slowly   
began to back out of the room. 'I can finish   
later…before Mamo-chan comes home and finds out   
the clothes aren't *all* folded like they're supposed   
to be…' She turned and zipped out of the bedroom,   
heading for the kitchen area.   
  
She looked at the pile of dishes in the sink and nearly   
fainted in surprise…and anger.  
  
"I don't care if he *is* a certified doctor, or   
whatever! MEN should do some of the housework!   
Just because I don't have a job doesn't mean I have   
all this free time to do this!" She glared angrily at the   
dishes, wishing they would come to life so she could   
then murder the objects.   
  
Sighing, she grabbed the yellow rubber gloves - 'I   
*hate* these rubber gloves!' - and pulled them on,   
yanking them roughly over her hands and onto her   
arms. She turned on the cold and hot water, picked up   
the sponge, squeezed some soap onto it, and then   
proceeded to wash each dish, one at a time.  
  
'Another stupid way to wash the dishes…I used to   
just turn on the water and let the water run until it   
nearly filled the sink—easier, I think, than this way.   
But nooo…Mamo-chan nearly had a heart attack   
when he saw me do it the first time…*he* said it was   
more sanitary to do it this way…'  
  
She growled in the back of her throat, but grit her   
teeth, and continued to wash the dishes…one by one   
by one.  
  
*  
  
The door slammed shut and the sounds of whistling   
proceeded the body. Mamoru walked into the family   
room and looked around, surprised when he didn't   
hear the welcoming voice of his wife.  
  
"Usa-ko?" he called out. "Usa-ko…where are you?"  
  
His eyebrows drew together. 'Where are you?'  
  
He walked into the kitchen…and was very disturbed   
by what he saw- there she was, feet propped up on   
the table- 'Usa-ko,' he inwardly cringed, 'that's *so*   
unsanitary!' -, reading a magazine and popping   
cherries into her mouth. His glance fell by the   
sink…which still had dishes filled in it, waiting to be   
cleaned.   
  
His eyes opened wide in surprise. Without words, he   
spun out of the kitchen and marched into the   
bedroom….  
  
Where a basket of clothes waited to be folded…not to   
mention a pile on the floor.  
  
Now, his eyebrows arched up in surprise, and he   
walked out of the bedroom, into the family room,   
where he noted absently that it had *not* been   
dusted, and back into the kitchen…where Usagi   
continued to ignore him.  
  
"Ano…Usa-ko…sweetheart…" His voice sounded   
faintly amused to her, but she knew that if she pushed   
him a bit more, his temper would erupt…which was   
exactly what she wanted.  
  
"Hai, Mamo-chan?" she tilted her head to the side,   
blond streams of hair falling over her shoulder. "Is   
there something you need?" She held up a cherry to   
him. "Would you like one?"  
  
His eyes darkened as he strode next to her, crouching   
down next to her chair, and took the cherry into his   
mouth…directly from her fingers.   
  
Her eyes opened wide as she felt his tongue briefly   
lick the tips of her fingers. She made a move to pull   
back her hands, but his wrist held hers in a lock she   
could not break out of.  
  
"Now suppose," he said, voice a whisper, "you tell   
me what's going on?"  
  
She barely suppressed a grin. "Whatever do you   
mean, Mamo-chan?"  
  
He winced- the sweetness of her voice   
was…well…nauseatingly sick. "The dishes in the   
sink…the unfolded clothes…the not-dusted   
rooms…" He arched an eyebrow at her, gently   
kissing the palm of her hand. "An explanation is   
needed, if you don't mind."  
  
"Oh, but I do mind," she shot back, pulling her hand   
away.  
  
"I'd like to know, anyway," he said, mouth curving   
upwards.  
  
She stared at his mouth…his perfect lips…that she   
loved…to…kiss…Involuntarily, she felt herself   
being drawn to him…and just as their mouths were   
about to touch, she saw the yearning in his eyes to be   
kissed…so she stopped herself and pulled away.  
  
And nearly burst out laughing at the expression on   
his face.  
  
"I'm angry," she stated.  
  
"I can see that."  
  
She glared at him. "Would you like to know why?"  
  
His hand traced the curve of her face. "Go ahead and   
tell me."  
  
Her eyes narrowed into slits as she grabbed his hand   
and firmly placed it by his side, not wanting to be   
distracted by his feathery touches. "I'm *angry*   
because I am *tired* of doing *all* of the household   
chores—Iie." She corrected herself. "I don't mind   
doing them…but I'm *sick* of doing them the way   
you tell me to."   
  
She stood up and walked to sink.  
  
"Observe, Mamo-chan," she said. "I used to wash the   
dishes in a way that *I* was used to. But after we   
were married, you *told* me to do them your way.   
And when I asked why, you said because it was for   
the sake of cleanliness. And I'm *tired* of doing it   
that way- I want to go back to doing it the way I was   
before we were married."  
  
"Usa-ko, I told you to-"  
  
"Save it, Mamo-chan. Follow me." She walked out of   
the room and he stood up from his crouched position   
and followed her into family room.  
  
"Observe, Mamo-chan," she said again. "I used to   
dust the rooms by using a simple duster. But after we   
were married, you *told* me to dust your way, by   
using a rag and wood polisher. When I asked why,   
you said it was for the sake of cleanliness. 'A duster,'   
you said, 'was unsanitary and useless, because the   
dust would fly through the room and re-land on   
different objects.'" She pursed her lips and threw the   
duster at him with as much force as she could put   
behind it.  
  
He caught it, and she saw the dangerous gleam in his   
eyes…and she noted the muscle straining under his   
neck.  
  
"I don't want to do it that way anymore, Mamo-chan.   
If you expect me to clean for you and play house,   
then dammit, it will be by my own way!"  
  
"Usa-ko," he said, voice silken, making her very   
aware of how angry he was, "you don't seem to-"  
  
"Tsk tsk," she said, reveling in the power she had   
over him. "I wasn't finished yet. Follow me," she   
continued, walking into the bedroom.  
  
"Observe, Mamo-chan," Usagi said, repeating the   
words that he was growing tired of hearing. "I used to   
fold clothes in a much simpler way, and a way that I   
was used to. But after we were married, you *told*   
me to fold your way, by making a bunch of silly   
creases in the sleeves, and folding and crossing the   
sleeves in whichever way it was. When I asked you   
way, you said that you were used to your clothes   
being that way. But what I have trouble   
understanding," Usagi spat out, "is *why* is it that if   
*you* are used to the way *you* used to fold, why   
am *I* doing it?! Fold your own damn clothes!" She   
bent down and grabbed a few shirts and threw them   
at him, wincing when he didn't even duck.   
  
He watched her from under the clothes that had   
showered upon his head.   
  
"Usa-ko."  
  
It was then she knew that she had gone too far.  
  
And it was also then she started to try walk around   
him and get out the door.  
  
And it was also then he brushed off the clothes that   
had landed on his body…and turned around and   
locked the door.  
  
He stalked over to the bed that had the clothes she   
had folded neatly on it…and used his arm and swiped   
it all to the floor. He walked back to her, grabbed her   
arms, and bent his head, kissing her with a force that   
left her breathless when he finally let her go.  
  
"Mamo…Mamo-chan?" she said, chest heaving.   
"What are you-"  
  
"You could have just *told* me, Usa-ko. You could   
have just *told* me you didn't like washing the   
dishes the way I told you. You can have *told* me   
you didn't want to dust the way I had told you to."   
Gently, he laid her on the bed, kissing up and down   
the length of her neck. "You can have just *told*   
me," he said, breath warm on her chest, "that you   
didn't want to fold the clothes the way I had told you   
to."  
  
She looked away, unable to meet his eyes.   
"Demo…Mamo-chan…I felt like you were just   
ordering me around…like I was some sort of puppet   
on a string…I know that you were alone for so long,   
but…sometimes, change is good." She reached up   
and kissed him on his forehead. "Are we done being   
angry now?" she asked him, twirling a lock of her   
hair in an innocent gesture.  
  
He grinned lecherously at her, making her breath   
halt. "I have some of that energy from being angry,   
pent inside of me." He kissed her cheek gently and   
then looked into her eyes. "What about you?"  
  
She giggled. "Me too, Mamo-chan."  
  
He smiled invitingly at her, and moved her body   
until her head was upon a fluffy white pillow.  
  
"Then why don't we put it to good use?"  
  
*  
  
  
E-mail me...onegai? ^^  
leluh40@aol.com  
Into the Illusion: www.geocities.com/lelu_h/ 


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